Hedgehog sightings continue to fall - but four in ten people see foxes in their gardens once a month, survey shows

Two-fifths of people see foxes in their gardens at least once a month, with the mammal a more common visitor in cities than in the countryside, a wildlife survey shows.

But only a quarter of people see hedgehogs on a regular basis as the species continues to decline, according to the results from 280,000 people about animals they spot in their backyards over the year.

The RSPB, which ran the wildlife survey, is urging people to create habitats in their gardens to help boost nature, from making small ponds and "bug hotels" to planting pollen-rich plants in window boxes for insects.

Your garden could become a home to all kinds of different species, and you could have front row seats to some amazing wildlife showsDaniel Hayhow, RSPB

The survey revealed that the number of people seeing hedgehogs at least once a month has fallen from 28 per cent last year to 25 per cent this year, while the number who have never seen one in the garden has risen from a fifth (20 per cent) in 2015 to 24 per cent in 2016.

Fewer people reported seeing other wildlife including badgers, slow worms and grass snakes on at least a monthly basis this year, compared to 2015.

For the first time, the survey asked people if they saw foxes in their garden and revealed they were the second most commonly spotted animals after grey squirrels, with 41 per cent of people seeing them at least monthly.

An urban fox cub plays near Tynemouth on North TynesideCredit:
Owen Humphreys/PA

Among people who specified whether their garden was in a rural, urban or suburban area, 57 per cent living in cities saw foxes at least monthly, while half of respondents in the suburbs saw them that frequently.

In rural areas, at least monthly sightings of foxes were reported by 40 per cent of people.

The survey results were provided by more than 284,618 people who took part in the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch earlier this year and who also provided information about other wildlife visiting their gardens.

Daniel Hayhow, RSPB conservation scientist, said: "With the right care and attention, your garden could become a home to all kinds of different species, and you could have front row seats to some amazing wildlife shows.

"By providing shelter and a safe place to make a home, gardens provide an invaluable resource and are a key element in helping to save nature, perhaps even playing a pivotal role in reversing some declines."